


The Courage to Trust Love One More Time

by Littlefeather



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Based on a Tumblr Post, F/M, Happy Ending, Headcanon, Love, Loving Marriage, Post-Canon, Relationship(s), Romance, Tumblr Memes, sansan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-13 18:16:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4532289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlefeather/pseuds/Littlefeather
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a Tumblr post asking for canon verse answers to Sansan ship meme questions. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to post here. Hope you enjoy it!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Canon/Westeros-verse

**Author's Note:**

> I will follow up with modern a/u answers soon

**Who asks the other on dates:**

Sandor does. It’s cold in the North and whenever there is a reasonably warm day, their cook Hot Pie knows to pack wine, cheese, bread, jerky and lemoncakes so Sandor can take Sansa on a long horseback ride. He gave Sansa her own horse long ago but he likes to have her ride in front of him on Stranger. Osha takes the children while they are gone, and they usually end up spending the entire day away from the keep. Sandor especially likes making love to her in a pretty meadow he named “the bird nest”.

**Who is the bigger cuddler:**

Sansa. It has taken her a long time to get Sandor used to so much physical contact (other than sex) and open affection; now that he allows it freely, she cuddles him whenever the opportunity presents itself.

**Who initiates holding hands more often:**

Neither of them. It isn’t the custom in Westeros. Sandor always offers his arm to his lady when they are walking about the keep together, and she holds onto his huge bicep with two hands. Sansa will often affectionately rub his forearm or pat him as they go. She looks up at him like he’s a hero from one of her buggering songs, and secretly Sandor loves it.

**Who remembers anniversaries:**

Sandor. He has the date of every important milestone in their relationship, as well as the name days of their children, carved into the dragonbone handle of his greatsword. It is an oath to the Warrior, swearing that he will use the fearsome weapon to protect his wife and children.

**Who gets more jealous:**

Sansa. When Sandor goes drinking in the village, the Wilding women reported to her that the wenches try to seduce him but he won’t have any of them even come near him.  
It all started when two laundry women happened upon Sandor while he was bathing in the godswood. Knowing better than to disturb their fierce lord, they hurried away, but not before taking a good look at his naked body. At first it didn’t bother her (in fact she found it rather humorous in a coarse sort of way) but as the women became more forward, Sansa grew more upset. Word of the impressive size of his manhood spread to all the kitchen and serving wenches, as well as the whores in Wintertown and before long, Sandor was getting propositioned almost every day.

While Sansa would never lower herself to address such an unladylike subject openly, she makes certain that he is always outfitted in Stark colors and kisses him long and hard before he leaves, giving him a look that promises a night of naughty pleasure when he returns. But when reports of one particularly brazen hussy who wouldn’t leave Sandor alone reaches Sansa, she surprises everyone by showing up at the tavern one night with Osha.

In her most ladylike fashion, Sansa took a seat on his lap and made over him while he drank, letting everyone know he belonged to her in body as well as name. After that, Sandor understood her jealousy and while it made him angry that she didn’t trust him, he also understood it was the same way he felt when the lords fawned over her and also when he learned she had been married to Tyrion, and so after that he no longer went to the tavern. Now he drinks with his men in the great hall of their keep, which has the added advantage of being mere steps away from his bed.

**Who is more protective:**

Sandor but again, Sansa has her moments. She deflects every question about his scars with the reprimand, “You forget yourself; it is not for you to ask such things of the Lord of Winterfrost Keep.“ She also has commanded that the fires in the hearths in their rooms are always lit so he doesn’t have to do it.

**Who is more likely to cheat:**

Neither. Sansa and Sandor both value the second chance the gods have given them for happiness and neither of them would jeopardize that.

**Who initiates sexy times the most:**

Sandor initiates sex at least once a day and Sansa happily obliges him, even allowing him to raise her skirts in quiet corners of their keep when no one is around.

**Who dislikes PDA the most:**

They both don’t like PDA. Sansa thinks it’s lowborn to act in such a manner and Sandor wouldn’t disgrace his lady by doing in front of others what should be kept private.

**Who kills the spider:**

Sandor, and afterward dresses down the maid for not keeping the room clean enough, for his lady or children could have been bitten.

**Who asks the the other to marry them:**

Sansa asks Sandor to marry her. They had secretly been courting but when Bran and Rickon require that she wed a northern man in order for her to take possession of the far north and Winterfrost Keep, she chooses Sandor to be her lord husband. Both young men know of Sandor’s loyalty to her and given the great lengths the man took to save their sister, they readily agree.

Afterward Sansa takes him to the godswood, kneels before him, and asks him to be her husband. Sandor curses, scoops her up out of the snow, tells her that he’s the one that supposed to ask and then he gets on one knee and asks her. She cries and they say their vows then and there.

**Who buys the other flowers or gifts:**

Sandor brings her gifts every time he leaves the keep. When she left their home to tend Arya in childbed, Sandor had a large greenhouse built and had lavender and winter roses planted in it. By the time Sansa returned, the flowers were in full bloom. Now every morning he has a winter rose placed in a vase next to her plate.

**Who would bring up possibly having kids:**

Sandor. He had insisted they refrain from children until they were safe and secure in their position at the keep, and so on their second wedded anniversary, he tells her he thinks it’s safe to start their family. Sansa cries and insists that is the best present he could have given her and she immediately drags him to bed.

**Who is more nervous to meet the parents:**

Neither of them have living parents, unfortunately, but Sandor was a bit nervous meeting Bran and Rickon, for he has heard of their mysterious powers and bonds with their direwolves.

**Who sleeps on the couch when the other is angry:**

Neither. They promised each other they wouldn’t go to bed angry so they stay up and fight it out. Sandor is careful to keep his anger in check because he never wants to frighten Sansa the way Joffrey and Baelish did.

**Who tries to make up first after arguments:**

Sansa. She has all his favorite foods and wine brought up to their room to put him in a good mood.

**Who tells the other they love them more often:**

Sansa, but Sandor tells her he loves her at least once a day.


	2. Modern A/U

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The same questions as Chapter 1 but in a Modern A/U setting.

**Who asks the other on dates:**

Sandor does but Sansa plans them. If she leaves it up to him, they’ll spend the evening at the pub and then making out on his couch. She plans nights of wine tasting, couples crafting and cooking classes, evening hikes in the woods, and movie nights where she makes a fort in the middle of their living room and lays out all his favorite foods before watching John Wayne, Clint Eastwood or Liam Neeson movies. Sandor doesn't care what they do as long as it ends with him and Sansa making out.

**Who is the bigger cuddler:**

Sandor. He tries to play it cool in public but he loves her snuggled up against him. At home they cuddle all the time.

**Who initiates holding hands more often:**

Sandor does. He likes to be in constant physical contact with Sansa so he can keep her safe and because he wants her close to him always. Her hand feels so small in his own and he loves that.

**Who remembers anniversaries:**

Sansa has them programmed in her phone, tablet and laptop and circles them on Sandor’s calendars. He doesn’t need reminding but he acts like he needs her to do it, then surprises her by giving her something early.

 **Who is more possessive:** Sandor of course, but Sansa is more subtle about it.

**Who gets more jealous:**

Sansa. When tourists visit their little mountain town, Sandor invariably has women coming up to him in the pub after a few too many white wine spritzers, asking if he is proportionately large everywhere while staring suggestively at his crotch (looking at you, coveredincleganedna) Sandor ignores them but Sansa takes him by the hand and angrily huffs out with him in tow while he laughs his ass off, because he’s the most loyal man there is and they both know it but she looks so cute when she’s angry.

**Who is more protective:**

Sandor but again, Sansa has her moments. He clears paths for her wherever they go and glares down any man whose eyes linger too long on Sansa. He insists on going shopping with her to carry her purchases so she won't be vulnerable. Sansa rolls her eyes but she secretly likes it. She won’t let anyone ask Sandor about his scars without intervening, nor will she allow his friends to tease him about his fear of fire without dressing them down in public.

**Who is more likely to cheat:**

Neither. Sansa and Sandor cannot stand liars or fake people and wouldn’t be with someone who seemed likely to cheat.

**Who initiates sexy times the most:**

Sandor initiates sex at least once a day and Sansa happily obliges him anytime, anywhere.

 **Who dislikes PDA the most** :

Sansa loves PDA and Sandor eagerly goes along with it. Sansa will make out with him in line at amusement parks, the movie theater, even at the grocery store and Sandor loves everyone seeing how much his hot wife wants him.

**Who kills the spider:**

Sansa. Sandor will call her into the room with “come look at this spider, Babe,” but what he really wants is for her to kill it. But Sansa won’t kill them unless they’re poisonous; otherwise she catches them in an old jelly jar and releases them in their vegetable garden.

**Who asks the the other to marry them:**

Sansa asks Sandor to marry her. On the anniversary of their first date, she takes him camping and proposes while they both lay in their sleeping bag staring up at the stars. She gives him a black tungsten engagement ring which he wears on a chain around his neck inside his shirt. The day they return home, he goes to Shireen’s tattoo parlor and has Sansa’s name tattooed around his wedding finger and over his heart. Sansa has his name tattooed on her heart with a little bird. Afterward they go back to their cabin and he gives her the engagement ring he’s been keeping but didn’t have the nerve to give to her and she cries.

**Who buys the other flowers or gifts:**

Sandor buys flowers for her once a week from Loras and Renly’s nursery but Sansa and Sandor both give each other “just because” gifts fairly regularly.

**Who would bring up possibly having kids:**

Sansa. Sandor would never bring it up, though he wants kids too. After they are married five years, she tells him she's ready to start their family, and Sandor answers her by bringing in the hand carved oak baby crib and matching rocking chair that he has been working on to surprise her for just such an occasion. After he sets up the new furniture in the spare bedroom, Sansa lays her down on the floor and makes love to her the rest of the afternoon.

**Who is more nervous to meet the parents:**

Sandor, since his parents are dead and when he goes to meet Sansa’s parents, he realizes her immediate family has fourteen members who all are gathered and eagerly waiting to meet him. It takes him a year to remember who everyone is and Sandor is shocked that everyone gets along so well.

**Who sleeps on the couch when the other is angry:**

Neither. They promised each other they wouldn’t go to bed angry so they stay up and fight it out. Also, neither will give up sleeping on their comfy memory foam adjustable bed so they each hold their ground until one of them starts laughing.

**Who tries to make up first after arguments:**

Sansa. She makes Sandor his favorite Nutella pancakes with whipped cream and sprinkles and spells out “I love you, let’s not fight” in chocolate chips on them.

**Who tells the other they love them more often:**

Sansa writes _I love you_ on the fogged up bathroom mirror while Sandor showers, tells him she loves him before getting out of bed and at night before falling asleep, puts love notes in his sack lunch and texts him _I love you_ with lots of heart emojis several times a day. Sandor is more into doing things to show her he loves her over pretty words, but he tells her he loves her at least once a day.


	3. Second Set of Questions, Canon Verse

**Who’s more dominant:**

Sandor is more physically dominant and also in conversation but Sansa is highly skilled at using her wits to get what she wants, so on a social level, she dominates in a different kind of way.

**Who’s the cuddler:**

Sansa is the cuddler. She loves to press her nose to his chest and inhale his scent, and feel his warmth envelop her. When they are first married, he gets up and leaves to train very early, so she commissions the softest furs to be made for their bed in the hope that Sandor will sleep in and cuddle. Little did she realize all she had to do was sleep naked and he would gladly cuddle her all she wants **.**

**Who’s the big spoon/little spoon:**

Sandor’s the big spoon, Sansa’s the little spoon. He loves to fall asleep at night with his face in her hair and to feel her soft body against his; after a lifetime of loneliness, he loves the closeness as well. Sansa is always cold. The windows of the chambers are rather drafty, and since Sandor insists they sleep naked, she prefers to be surrounded by him because he radiates heat, especially when naked under the furs. She also likes the security of having his heavily muscled body draped over her, for it chases the nightmares away to lay with her husband in such a way.

**What’s their favorite non-sexual activity:**

In the evenings, the nursemaid brings the children into their solar to say goodnight, and Sansa softly plays the harp and sings for them. Sandor and the children love to listen to her and Sansa loves being able to soothe them at the end of the day.

**Who uses all the hot water:**

Sansa but Sandor doesn’t mind. He eagerly strips down and climbs into their huge tub with her and scrubs her back for her, scandalizing her maid.

**Most trivial thing they fight over:**

Sandor still scolds her on occasion for not being blunt enough with him when she wants something, and Sansa gets angry when he won’t accept a compliment from her.

**Who does most of the cleaning:**

Neither of them. They have maid and menservants and an ample staff to care for the needs of the castle, though Sansa oversees the details of the meals and the caring of her children herself.

**Who calls up the super/landlord when the heat’s not working:**

They own their own castle, so they handle matters themselves.

**Who leaves their stuff around:**

Sansa. She is so used to having a maid clean up after her that she never puts things away. Sandor thinks it foolishness and has tried to convince her to hang up her robes.

**Who remembers to buy the milk:**

Sandor. He meets with the castellan weekly to see that all the needs of the castle are met.

**Who cooks normally:**

Hot Pie, their cook.

**How often do they fight:**

They don’t really fight but they do bicker over small things.

**What do they do when they’re away from each other:**

Sandor writes Sansa long letters when he is away from the castle and Sansa sews him new clothing.

**Nicknames for each other:**

Little Bird, Pretty Bird, wife, love, Momma for Sansa. My love, my fierce Hound, Papa for Sandor.

**Who steals the covers at night:**

Sansa does, she’s always cold.

**What would they get each other for gifts:**

Sandor gives Sansa jewelry, jewelry boxes he carves out of weirwood, horses, puppies and kittens, a singing bird from the Summer Isles, furs, saddles and sheer sleeping gowns.

Sansa gives Sandor fine leather saddles and tack, silver flagons, castle forged steel, cloaks taken from great bear, hand sewn tunics, marriage favors, knitted scarves.

**Who kissed who first:**

They argue over who kissed who first. Sansa remembers him kissing her on the night of the Blackwater Battle but Sandor insists she kissed him when she saw him in the Vale, and that was their first kiss.

**Who made the first move:**

Sandor left the Quiet Isle and freed her from Lord Baelish in the Eyrie, so he made the first move for them to be together. Sansa is the one who initiated their physical relationship.

**Who cusses more:**

Sandor, obviously, because Sansa says a lady doesn’t befoul her language with curses. That being said, living with Sandor has weakened her resolve on the matter.

**What would they do if the other one was hurt:**

Sandor roars and rages at the maester and then ends up caring for her himself. Sansa babies him and tends him herself, night and day, until she wears herself out.

**Who is the dirty talker:**

Sandor, and Sansa secretly finds it thrilling when he tells her in graphic detail all the things he wants to do to her.

**A head canon:**

The Quiet Isle hasn’t entirely tamed the Hound in Sandor Clegane. He shouts, orders the servants and men at arms around, stalks the hallways of the castle with a dangerous air, and refuses to put on airs. However, with Sansa and his children, he is tender and makes and effort to talk quietly and treat them gently at all times. His biggest fear is that they will learn to fear him because of his harsh ways or that Sansa will shrink away from him in a moment of remembering the way he treated her in King’s Landing.  
He is a hands-on father and Sansa loves teaching him how to change diapers, swaddle them, burp them and rock them to sleep. The Wilding women teach him many things about babies and he puts them all into practice. When they get older, he teaches the boys and the girls alike to use a sword, ride a horse, hunt, make snares, etc. In turn he allows his daughters to teach him to make lemon cakes, host tea parties with him as the guest of honor, and he always gives in to their pleas for him to dance with them. Any man who dares tease him about any of it or question his manhood is soundly beaten into the ground in front of the entire castle. His children never see Sandor as being scarred, never know him to look any other way, and love him unconditionally. They call him Papa and never fear him, and for Sandor, it is his greatest accomplishment that he did not repeat the sins of his own father. It is this unconditional love that truly heals Sandor Clegane and he is determined to be the husband and father that his own sire was not, and so finds redemption in fatherhood.


End file.
